Too Little or Too Much Social?

In today’s digital world, social media is everywhere. Whether using a computer, tablet, television, or cell phone, we are constantly connected to the world of social media. This means that we are also constantly connected to the world of marketing as many companies use social media as part of their marketing strategy. With billions of potential consumers across hundreds of different social media platforms, marketers must determine the best approach for a company to take in regards to its social media participation. Marketers must decide if they should place their focus on one platform or if they will use multiple platforms to get their messages delivered. The question is “how can these marketers determine the best approach?”. 

                                                 Figure 1: (“Why Academics Should Not”, 2017)

Factors such as the type of company it is, the company’s audience, and the company’s social media objectives should be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not a company should use only one primary social media platform as its source of focus or if it should use multiple platforms. According to Driver, a company should “invest [its] time and skills in the platforms where [it is] most likely to reach and engage with [its] target audience” (2018). This is because not every social media platform will be the proper fit for every business (Driver, 2018). There is however one particular platform that every business, especially small businesses, should have: Facebook (Driver, 2018). For years, Facebook has been and still is the social media platform that is most widely used; almost 70% of adults in the United States report that they are Facebook users (Smith & Anderson, 2018). If that isn’t enough to convince a company that it is imperative to have a Facebook presence, it is also helpful for them to understand that out of all of the social media platforms Facebook is the one that appeals to the “widest range of demographic groups” (Smith & Anderson, 2018). 

Figure 2: (Dunn, 2017)

When choosing which social media platforms to use, researching to understand the best practices and demographics for each can be very beneficial for marketers. Here is a quick breakdown of the best usage for four popular social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.

·         Facebook is a “good for lead generation...[and] for building relationships, showing the human side of your business, and turning leads into loyal followers and customers” (“Which Social Media Platforms”, 2017).

·         Twitter is a good platform to use “if your business is about immediacy, and if you want to reach out to followers with breaking news, announcements, important messages, and other in the moment information” (“Which Social Media Platforms”, 2017).

·         LinkedIn is an ideal platform for “B2B businesses whose goal is lead generation… [or who want to] establish [their] company as a trusted leader in your field, build authority for your brand, and engage leads through conversations (“Which Social Media Platforms”, 2017).

·         Pinterest is a good platform to use for a company that is aiming to increase sales as “over 90% of the users plan purchases”. (“Which Social Media Platforms”, 2017).

There are some companies that benefit from focusing on one particular platform as their primary source of focus. For example, at the local real estate agency that I work for our primary social media platform is Facebook; however, we supplement our Facebook presence with our Instagram accounts. Instead of focusing on using multiple platforms, we use Facebook as our primary platform because the demographic that our industry appeals to aligns more closely with that of Facebook’s primary demographic. Also, because the real estate industry is heavily built on developing and maintaining relationships with clients and potential clients, Facebook is our primary platform. As previously mentioned, showing a company’s “human side” is one of the attributes that makes Facebook an ideal platform to use (“Which Social Media Platforms”, 2017). 

While primarily focusing on one platform may work for one company, it would not be wise for every company to do the same. For example, a company whose products or services are geared towards a wider range of demographic groups, such as a bowling alley, might benefit more from having a social media presence across a larger range of social media platforms because it has a larger audience to reach. A teenager who enjoys bowling with friends on the weekends would enjoy following a bowling alley’s Snapchat account to find out the latest updates and happenings. However, an adult in his or her mid-thirties who enjoys going to the bowling alley to grab a beer and catch up with friends would be more likely to visit the bowling alley’s Facebook page or Twitter to find updates on drink specials and discounts throughout the week.  

                                              Figure 3: ("Social Media Content", 2018)  

This week’s readings mention content versus conversation. While content and conversation may sound similar in regards to social media, they are quite different. However, they can both be viewed as factors in the decision making process of whether or not to use one social media platform as the primary source of focus. It is said that “content drives conversation” (“Content Marketing Framework”, n.d.). If a company simply wants to create and publish content with minimal conversational interactions, using a platform such as Instagram or Snapchat where visuals are the primary purpose may be the best option. However, for companies that truly want to engage in conversations with their audience, using social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn may be the better approach. Marketers must truly research and seek to understand both their company as each social media platform’s principles when determining how many and which social media platforms a company should use. By doing this, marketers can better understand how additional social media platforms will be controlled or how to maximize a company’s marketing efforts to override the lack of a presence across multiple social media platforms.

            

References

Content Marketing Framework: Conversation. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/conversation/

Driver, S. (2018, October 15). Social Media for Business: A Marketer's Guide. Retrieved from https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7832-social-media-for-business.html

Dunn, J. (2017, July 27). Facebook totally dominates the list of most popular social media apps. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-dominates-most-popular-social-media-apps-chart-2017-7

Smith, A., & Anderson, M. (2018, March 1). Social Media Use 2018: Demographics and Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2018/03/01/social-media-use-in-2018/

Which Social Media Platforms Should You Use for Your Business? (2017, November 30). Retrieved from https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/en-us/blog/2017-11-30-which-social-media-platforms-should-you-use-for-your-business

Why academics should NOT make time for social media. (2017, February 16). Retrieved from https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/why-academics-should-not-make-time-social-media